


New World

by sparkinside (boomersoonerash)



Category: Hanson (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Character Death, F/M, Gift Fic, Sad, Zombie Apocalypse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-29
Updated: 2014-01-29
Packaged: 2018-07-28 09:41:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,888
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7635421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boomersoonerash/pseuds/sparkinside
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Spencer and Zac set off to get Kate and Shepherd after the world falls.</p>
            </blockquote>





	New World

**Author's Note:**

  * For [themayqueen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/themayqueen/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Denouement](https://archiveofourown.org/works/836447) by [themayqueen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/themayqueen/pseuds/themayqueen). 



Spencer rolled her eyes as she sat in the car waiting for Zac. "Goddamn it Zachary!" she yelled as she rolled down her car window and watched him running to it. His hands full of guns and ammo. "You think you have enough of that shit?" she asked him as her eyebrow raised up.

"I think I have more than enough," Zac told her as he opened the back door and put most of it in, though he kept two guns out. Slipping one in through the window he smiled when she took it. "It's not every day the fucking dead start walking," he told her honestly as he looked around the neighborhood in which they lived. It was becoming over run with fucking walkers.

Spencer went silent at his words knowing he was right. Maybe she should be thankful for his gun fascination then right now, it was at least keeping her alive it seemed.

Once he got in the car she started it up driving off towards his ex-wife's house. They had to get Shepherd and Kate, she knew there was no way they were leaving them behind. Zac would never allow it nor would Spencer herself.

"You think they are still alive?" Zac mused as he looked over at Spencer. Her redhair was a mess but they had been woken up by a neighbor coming through their bedroom window. A neighbor who had tried to eat on Spencer.

Spencer went silent again, not sure if she could answer him honestly. If she was basing her words off her own experience she would say no. She herself had only survived her attack thanks to Zac thinking quickly and saving her. He had shot their neighbor with a gun he kept in the nightstand on his side of the bed. God if he hadn't been home she would have been dead now.

"I do think so," she lied feeling a bit of guilt but it was to make him feel better, keep him focused. If he was focused then he would be able to keep them alive for a bit longer.

Zac nodded his head wishing he could believer her but there was something in her voice that kept him from being able to do so. Something that rattled his very bones. Reaching out he turned on the radio, going silent as he heard a radio broadcast coming through.

"The CDC is asking that everyone please stay inside for their own safety. They are diligently working on a cure but for right now one has not been found. The only thing they do know is this illness is transferred through bites. If you or a loved one have been bit it is recommended that you go to the nearest hospital though most local ones are experiencing over-crowding and advising people not to come. The best thing to do right now is just too..."

"Fucking worthless idiots," Zac hissed as he cut the radio off, his eyes looking out the window at the chaos going on. People were running down the streets of the suburban neighborhoods. People were running from the dead, a fact that wasn't lost on Zac. "They don't know shit or what they do know they are too scared to tell the public."

Spencer raised an eyebrow, looking over at Zac only briefly. "You think they would lie to us?" she asked though the answer was apparent in his words.

"I do," he answered honestly as he watched her pull onto the street where Kate and Shepherd lived. It too like every other street was a panic. People running from different houses, cars flying by like bats out of hell. "The government has never been known for it's honesty," he shrugged before unbuckling as Spencer pulled into the driveway. "Stay here," he told her before getting out.

Nodding when Zac told her to stay in the car she took a deep breath, watching him get out and walk towards the house. Looking away then she closed her eyes, beginning a silent countdown in her head. She was afraid of what he would find, she was afraid it would be too tragic and he himself wouldn't be able to come back to the car. Spencer Kerr was afraid that Zac would find his son and ex-wife dead or at least one of them turned and eating on the other.

Opening her eyes, Spencer turned her head back to the house watching in horror as one of those things went inside, obviously because Zac had been dumb enough to leave a door open. "Bastard," she whispered before grabbing the gun he had given her before they left their house. She knew he had told her to stay in the car but right now he needed her.

Spencer opened the door, trying to block out the sounds of chaos around her. Stepping out of the car she shut the door as quietly as possible but continued on towards the house, her heartbeat getting faster.

"Zac?" she called out when she finally reached the house. There was no sign of that thing that had came in nor was there any sign of Zac,Shepherd or Kate either. "Zac?" she called out again this time making it to the stairs.

Before she could make it up she felt someone come up behind her, putting their hand over her mouth. "Are you fucking stupid?" Zac's voice greeted her ears. It sounded harsh so she knew he was probably mad. "Coming in here and making noise. I told you to stay in the damn car."

Spencer reached up to remove Zac's hand from her mouth and she turned to face him. "I was waiting in the car," she answered him. "But I saw one of those things come in and I got scared for your safety," she confessed, shaking her head. "Where is Kate and Shepherd?"

Zac's features softened as Spencer explained herself. He couldn't fault her for being worried about him in this situation. "They are in the kitchen," he confessed before grabbing her hand and leading the way "Been hiding out in the pantry for the last few minutes before we got here. I had to kill two of those dead bastards before I could get to them. I also killed the one you saw come in here as well."

Spencer followed Zac into the kitchen where she saw Shepherd and Kate standing both looking down at the dead bodies and each with a different look on their face. Kate's was one of disgust while Shepherd had a morbid sense of amusement. She had seen the same amusement in Zac's face when he killed their neighbor.

"Is everyone okay?" Spencer asked as she walked over to Shepherd and bent down pulling him into her. She had never been so happy to see him alive.

Kate swallowed hard at Spencer's question before looking at Zac. "Z...Zac was bit trying to get us out of the pantry," she spoke up and Spencer swore she could feel her heart stop. Zac had been bit which meant he was going to die. Going to become one of those things. She had seen this scenario in countless zombie flicks that Abbey had made her watch.

Spencer turned her head to Zac but he just looked down briefly before holding up his other hand, showing her the bite on his wrist. At that image Spencer just shook her head.

"I planned on telling you," Zac spoke up as he tried to play this off. "But I was trying to find the way in which it would hurt the least," he frowned feeling as if life was unfair right now. "You and Kate are going to have to take Shepherd and leave me."

Shaking her head Spencer stood up as she walked over to Zac. "No," she spat refusing to leave him behind. "We need you," she told him as her voice cracked. They wouldn't survive a day without him.

"You are going to have too," Zac told her sounding more stern in his words. "You are going to have to get out of here. You and Kate will do fine, I mean I taught you both how to use guns, you can make it out there."

Spencer felt arms go around her and she turned her head to see Kate. "He's right Spence," she spoke as her eyes locked with Spencer's. "We have to leave Zac behind and get our son to safety," she said before looking at Shepherd.

It was when Kate called Shepherd our son that Spencer felt her resolution to stay with Zac crumble. "Fine," she nodded giving up her fight.

Zac smiled before sitting down in the floor watching both Kate and Spencer quickly gather things they might need in bags before rushing them out to the waiting car. It was during one of their many trips to the car that he smiled more when Shepherd walked over to him.

"Daddy," Shepherd spoke as he looked at his daddy. "You aren't coming with us are you?" he asked a frown taking over his tiny lips.

Zac shook his head feeling his heartbreak at his son's question. "No," he answered before pulling Shepherd to him. "I have to stay here and take care of a few things," he lied feeling only minimal guilt. His lie was better than being honest and ruining what was left of his son's innocence.

Feeling Shepherd pull away he watched as his son nodded his head. "Mommy and Spencer will take care of me for you," he smiled though Zac saw tears in his eyes.

"Yeah they will," Zac said as he looked up seeing both Kate and Spencer coming into the kitchen.

Kate walked over to Shepherd, "We have to go now baby," she said before picking up her son, her eyes lingering a moment on Zac. "I'll take care of him," she spoke up her voice showing the sadness which she felt. "I promise," she said before turning and heading to the car.

After Kate left with Shepherd, Spencer looked at Zac. "I am going to miss you," she told him as she walked closer but he put his hand up to stop her.

"Spence," Zac whispered his expression changing. "Don't do this okay," he frowned knowing if she went down this route she'd never leave before he turned. "Go and get out of here while you still can."

Spencer just nodded, turning her back on Zac as she left the kitchen and the house. It was when she got outside that she heard the gun shot. Zac had killed himself before he could turn. Fighting back tears she got in the car with Kate who was crying now too.

"Hey," Spencer muttered as she started the car and looked over at Kate. "We are going to be okay," she smiled though it was fake. "We have to be okay for our son," she said using Kate's words. In that moment Shepherd was their son just like he was also Zac's son even though Zac was no longer there. "We promised Zac we would take care of him and to do that we have to survive," she spoke fully believing in her bones that she and Kate could survive this new world for Shepherd's sake.


End file.
